Coin-controlled vending-machine



No. 612,656. Patented Uct. I8, |898.

' P. E. BERGER. CMN-CUNTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

(Application med-Feb, 3, 18948.)

2 sheets-hm l.

(N0 Mdel.)

No. 6l2,656. Patented Oct. |8,'|898.`

l Y P. E. BERGER.

UOINVCUNTROLLED VENDING MAGHINE.

` (Application med Feb. s; 189s.)

("0 MOdIJ 2 sheets-sheet z.

UNITE Prien.

ampi* COINCONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,656, dated October 18, 1898. Application led February 3, 1898. Serial No. 668,926. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, iz? may concern,.-

Be it known that I, PAUL F.. BERGER,a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

.in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Vending-Ma chines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to that class of machines known as coin-controlled machines, and is designed as a protector ot' such machines against the introduction of spurious coin, slugs, brass or lead checks, or any other article than the original or genuine coin bcing played into the machines, such as vending-machines of all kinds for the automatic sale of merchandise, for phonographs, kinetoscopes, telephones, or any other coin-controlled machines too numerous to mention. VI'Ieretofore nickels or other coin used for the purpose of operating vending or any other coincontrolled machines were dropped right into the machine through a slot and were pushed along by a small slide, by which one nickel after the other was pushed into the receptacle until there were ve nickels in said receptacle. When the next nickel was dropped, it would operate the machine. The trouble and objection to this style of receptacle are that it is a very diflicult matter to construct one which will take every size of nickels, as the difference between a new nickel and a very old or worn one is Very great, and for this reason two small nickels coming togetherwould often cross one behind the other, and thus clog up the machine, making it utterly useless until remedied.

The object of this invention is to improve and simplify the kind of machines operated by coin by the production of a rotary wheel with pockets or depressions arranged in such manner that each nickel or its equivalent will be kept entirely separate from the other, so that one nickel does not interfere or come in contact with the other 5 also, that the revolving wheel is acted on directly bythe coin admitted and is operated on by `actuating mechanism; also, to so arrange the machine that it can be used as a protector against or detector of spurious coin, brass checks, slugs,

&c. or anything which is the size to be played into this protector other than the genuine coin-such as used in phonographs, automatic telephones, kinetoscopes, vending-machines, or, in fact,any coin-controlled machines-and nally to so simplify the construction that the machine or protector will not get out of order. i

IV ith these objects in view my invention consists in the several features of construction and details, as well as the peculiar combination of parts, as will be more fully de scribed hereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters thereon.

Like letters indicate similar parts in the different iigures of the drawings, in .which-` Figure l is a perspective View of a machine with my improvements attached. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the device detached from the machine on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is an edge View of thesame. Fig. 4 is a side View of the cover detached. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same. Figs. 6, 7, and S are detail views of the spring-pawl and its operating mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a case or receptacle of any suitable size and configuration, and it can be made plain or ornamentah, as desired. It is provided with a proper door and locking device to gain access to the interior when required. To the upper side of this receptacle the improved mechanism is iirmly secured. It is constructed as follows: In the drawings, C represents a shell or case made in halves and preferably of malleable or cast iron, although it may be made of other material, if desired. This shell is provided with a stud c, upon which a hollow wheel B, of peculiar construction, is mounted. The wheel is provid ed with any number of pocketsor depressions (eight being shown in the drawings) on its periphcry. They are formed by lugs or projections b, which are of rectangular shape, having V- shaped sides and ends, serving to retain be IOO tween their edges the nickels or other coins temporarily. These pockets should be arranged to suit the different sizes of coins intended to be used. At the bottom of these pockets are holes e large enough to allow any kind of coin smaller than nickels-for instance, such as pennies-to drop through and pass out below.

At the top of the case A is placed a slot E, through which the coins are admitted and fall into the pockets of the wheel B. At one side of this slotis pivoted a curved linger-lever F on a stationary pin f. This lever has a finger-piece g, by which it is operated, and passes through a slot in the top. It has a curved projection at its inner end and is provided with a forked end f', to which a short pitman or rodi is attached at one end, while its other end is connected to a curved pawl H. The lower part of this pawl is connected bya spring s to a pin p, secured to the case, and has a tendency, after having been pulled on by the finger and released, to return the linger-bar or lever F to its normal position. The lower part of the pawl H is made trough-shaped to admit the spring and the pitman. The upper part h of said pawl is reduced in width and serves to slide between the lugs b and to shove the nickel in the pocket,with the wheel, part of a revolution forward, so as to place another pocket under the slot E, and so on, each one being retained separately in its pocket on the Wheel until they reach a slot q at the bottom, when `they will drop into the receptacle. The extreme upper end of the pawl is slightly thinner and is curved so that it will readily lap over the nickel when brought forward, and thus to shove it along. In the side of the ease A is an open space covered by glass or its equivalent, so as to expose the coins to view, three being shown in the drawings. l

The device shown being for nickels, a penny or its equivalent would drop through the holes e, and being guided by a shield I, secured to the cover, would pass to a hole r in the bottom of the device into the receptacle. The wheel B would in this case not be acted on. On the cover of the case is arranged a conical-headed pin G, actuated by a spring placed in a recess in the round luguand acting as a pawl. It serves to retard the wheel by entering one of the holes t in the back of the wheel B until again acted on by the linger-bar, when the pawl will slide into the nexthole, of which there are also eight, as shown, to correspond with the number of pockets.

It'will be readily perceived by those skilled in the art that this apparatus can be readily adapted for many uses, and it can be employed for detecting spurious coins, brass checkpieces, slugs, &c., or other article than a genuine coin. By arranging it with two, three, or more wheels and their levers and operating mechanism placed side by side different kinds of coins-such as dimes, quarters, half and whole dollars-can be employed, the different slots and parts being changed to suit the occasion. It could be arranged for the sale of tickets in theaters, concerts, Ate. in which case a dollar would be inserted in the slot and a dollar-ticket would drop out, and so in proportion to correspond. It is also applicable to a cash-register, and by this means the amount of money which the customer pays is plainly in View.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In coin-controlled vending-machines, a wheel B provided with pockets having holes in their bottoms, and mounted as shown, in combination with a pivoted lever F, to which a spring-pawl H is attached bya pitman t', as specified.

2. In a coin-controlled Vending-machine, the combination of a pocketed wheel, having holes through said pockets and recesses in its back, to receive a spring-actuated pawl G with conical head at each turn of said wheel to receive another nickel, with the curved pawl I-I, actuated by a spring S and having a finger at its upper end to engage the coin, by means of the pitman z' and finger-bar F, as shown and set forth.

3. In coin-controlled vending-machines, a wheel B, provided with pockets having holes in their bottoms, and mounted as shown, in combination with a pivoted lever F, to which a curved spring-pawl H is attached by a pitman and a spring-actuated pawl G arranged in a recess and having a conical point to enter the holes v in the back of the wheel, all arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL E. BERGER.

Witnesses:

THEO. NAGEL, D. I-I. MILLER.

l'OO 

